When Spell-Check Lets You Down: Commonly Confused Words

& Other Insidious Imposters

Kathryn Mincey

Associate Professor of English

Morehead State University

“Owed to the Spell Checker”

Eye halve a spelling checkerIt came with my pea sea

It plainly marks four my revueMiss steaks eye kin knot sea.

Eye strike a key and type a wordAnd weight four it two say

Weather eye am wrong oar writeIt shows me strait a weigh.

As soon as a mist ache is maidIt nose bee fore two long

And eye can put the error riteIts rare lea ever wrong.

Eye have run this poem threw itEye am shore your pleased two no

Its letter perfect awl the weighMy checker tolled me sew.

Commonly Confused Words

These pesky pairs or groups of words are

frequently mistaken for each other and are

insidious because the spell checker will not catch them.

Commonly Confused Words

They are spelled correctly when used in the appropriate context, but writers often overlook the fact that they are spelling a related word that is inappropriate for their intended meaning.

The Embarrassment Factor

Because many of these words are familiar

utility words, they create tension: They are used often, but, their misuse can erode a reader’s confidence in

the writer’s credibility.

Commonly Confused Words…

…come in at least four varieties that

overlap:

Varieties ofCommonly Confused Words

1. Homophones

2. Etymological / functional variations

3. Transcriptions of colloquialisms

4. Antonyms

Homophones – words that sound alike but have different meanings

To, too, two Their, there, they’re Cite, site, sight Principal, principle Right, write, rite, wright

Etymological/functional variations – words that come from the same root but have evolved toward differing parts of speech or meaning Affect, effect

Quote, quotation Advice, advise Conscience, conscious Proceed, precede Accept, except Credible, credulous

VERB ADJECTIVE

NOUN

ROOT

Transcriptions of colloquialisms– words that are spelled as they sound in oral dialect or imprecisely pronounced alike, but are actually spellings of different words

Ideal for idea Suppose to for supposed to Use to for used to Granite for granted Ever for every Cause for ‘cause (because) Should of for should’ve

Ozlock Witchaditcha Aorta Mayonnaise Parade

Antonyms – words that are not spelled or pronounced similarly at all but are opposite in meaning. Oddly enough, many speakers and writers confuse such words because they are related in their minds but may have opposite definitions. Infer for imply

Literally for figuratively Can’t hardly for can hardly

There = where? here?

Their = they own it

They’re = they are

Confusing Words of the Week

Affect – act on

Effect – the outcome

A Quotation (noun)

To Quote (verb)

Then ← when ?Than = compare

Cite = Call attention toSite = Scene, location

Sight = visionEver → forever

Every = each

Stationary – in place

Stationery = letterPrecede = before

Proceed = throughWhose → those

Who’s = who is